This, That, and the Other

My theme for this year’s A to Z Blogging Challenge is classic rock songs. Each day during the month (except for the first four Sundays, I will post a classic rock song: a video from YouTube, along with a brief bit of background about the song and the recording artist(s).

This is much more difficult than I thought it would be. For every letter of the alphabet there are dozens of fantastic classic rock songs to choose from and picking just one song for each letter is maddening. But this is what I signed up for.

My W song is “What a Fool Believes” from The Doobie Brothers.

“What a Fool Believes” was written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The best-known version was recorded by the Doobie Brothers (with McDonald singing lead vocals) for their 1978 album, Minute by Minute. The single reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received Grammy Awards in 1980 for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

Michael McDonald’s concept for the lyrics was a scenario where two people who had a passionate relationship long ago meet at a restaurant. To the man, the affair was the best thing in his life, but to the woman, it was fun, but it was time to move on. In the conversation, the man makes a complete fool of himself. When the woman excuses herself to leave, he doesn’t get the message, believing he still has a shot and that their affair was much more meaningful than it actually was. Love makes a man a fool, and even a wise one can’t reason it away.

After McDonald wrote the original version of this song, he presented a fragment of it to producer Ted Templeman, who encouraged him to continue working on it. Kenny Loggins came in when McDonald got stuck on the bridge of the song. Bassist Tiran Porter had suggested Loggins to McDonald because the two were good friends.

While he was waiting for Loggins to arrive at his home, McDonald played some of the songs that were “in progress” and asked his sister Maureen which she thought was best. As Loggins was getting out of his car, he heard McDonald playing a fragment of “What a Fool Believes.” According to Loggins, he heard about three-quarters of the verse’s melody (no lyrics), but McDonald stopped at the bridge. Loggins’ mind continued without a break, and the song’s bridge was born. Then Loggins knocked on the door, introduced himself to McDonald, and demonstrated the bridge that he devised before the two of them could sit down. The lyrics were finished over the telephone the next day.

Michael McDonald and the Doobie Brothers. McDonald joined the Doobies in 1975 as a temporary replacement for injured singer-guitarist Tom Johnston. McDonald became a full-fledged member, singing such hits as “What a Fool Believes,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” and “Minute by Minute.” However, The Doobie Brothers took on a different sound when they lost lead singer Johnston. Instead of the album rock they were known for, they had more of a soft rock sound with Michael McDonald as lead singer. And some Doobie Brothers fans didn’t like that. Personally, I thought McDonald added another dimension to the band, and I preferred to Doobies when McDonald was part of the group. McDonald left the Doobie Brothers in 1982 to pursue a solo career.

Here are the lyrics to “What a Fool Believes.”

He came from somewhere back in her long ago
The sentimental fool don't see 
Trying hard to recreate what had yet to be created
Once in her life, she musters a smile for his nostalgic tale
Never coming near what he wanted to say
Only to realize it never really was

She had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He's watching her go

But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
Than nothing at all keeps sending him

Somewhere back in her long ago
Where he can still believe there's a place in her life
Someday, somewhere, she will return

She had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He's watching her go

But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be (if love can come and love can go, then why can't love return once more?)
Is always better than nothing 
(Who got the power?)
Than nothing at all (oh, now)
What a fool believes he sees (I believe she's never gone away)
No wise man has the power 
To reason away (to reason away)
What seems to be (oh, if love can come and love can go, oh, mama)
Is always better than nothing (better than nothing)
Than nothing at all (oh, I believe)

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